Partners now in marriage and in trade, Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane have finally returned from abroad to set up housekeeping in London. But merging their respective collections of gadgets, pets and servants leaves little room for the harried newlyweds themselves, let alone Brisbane’s private enquiry business.

Among the more unlikely clients: Julia’s very proper brother, Lord Bellmont, who swears Brisbane to secrecy about his case. Not about to be left out of anything concerning her beloved—if eccentric—family, spirited Julia soon picks up the trail of the investigation.

It leads to the exclusive Ghost Club, where the alluring Madame Séraphine holds evening séances…and not a few powerful gentlemen in thrall. From this eerie enclave unfolds a lurid tangle of dark deeds, whose tendrils crush reputations and throttle trust.

Shocked to find their investigation spun into salacious newspaper headlines, bristling at the tension it causes between them, the Brisbanes find they must unite or fall. For Bellmont’s sake and more they’ll face myriad dangers born of dark secrets, the kind men kill to keep….

A spunky, irrepressible heroine and a Sherlock Holmes-ian hero make this Victorian mystery delightful.

Julia Grey Brisbane wants nothing more than to be a full partner in her husband’s life and that means full partner in his private enquiry business. To achieve that goal she studies emerging technologies—like flash gun powder and photography—and takes risks that seem very foolish and unnecessary at times. Past experiences have proven that she is not invincible but have not dimmed her enthusiasm. I am uncertain if she doesn’t realize the extent of the risks she takes or if she relies too heavily on her luck, position in society, and very talented husband to get her out of the scrapes she gets into. There are moments I wanted to shake some sense into her—a sentiment shared by her husband Nicholas Brisbane. Still, she’s quite amusing at times.

Brisbane is what Sherlock Holmes might have been if he’d had a few more social skills and time for women. To quote Winston Churchill out of context, Brisband “is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma…” In a word: fascinating. I’d read this story just to find out more about him. I don’t blame Julia a bit for falling in love with him or for doing everything in her power to weave herself into the fabric of his life. Even if some of the things she does make both the reader and Brisbane shake their heads.

The plot is filled with nice twists and turns, humorous and exciting in turn. Unfortunately, it lags a bit in between plot points. The story could have benefitted from condensing the time frame and eliminating downtime. Still, it was a fun read and the characters are compelling enough that if you haven’t read the previous four Julia Grey Novels you’ll want to. That said: The Dark Enquiry easily stands alone. I was five pages into it before I realized I’d read Ms. Raybourn’s first installment. Now, I’ll be getting the rest of them. Who knew reviewing books would be so expensive?

The Atomic City Girls

Heaven’s Watcher

My Favorite Mistake

Taking Desire

Needing Desire

Running Hot

Frost Moon

Blue Light Special

Review Star Rating Definitions

1 Star – We currently do not review any story with a 1 star rating. If it’s DNF or a “wall-banger” we decline to review.

2 Stars — Not wonderful, but tolerable. There may be some minor editing glitches but not enough to stop you reading. Not a wall-banger, but nothing you’d re-read. This is a book you would borrow from the library – not buy- and never check out again. You might recommend it to a friend with a mention of the glitches, knowing that something in the plot or story would still appeal to them regardless.

3 Stars — Good. Mostly enjoyable. You made it through and didn’t consider it a waste of time or money. The story was strong enough or the conflict tight enough, so even when the book faltered, it was able to draw you back in and keep you. There’s a chance you’ll recommend it to a friend, but it wouldn’t go on your keeper shelf.

4 Stars — Very Good. You’re glad you were the one who got to review the book. You would probably buy it and would definitely recommend it to your friends. You liked the characters and the plot. The writing style was good and the editing clean.

5 Stars — Great! You would definitely buy this book. You would definitely recommend it to your friends. You really loved the characters and the plot and would consider looking for this authors back list or making her an autobuy. The writing and editing were superb.

LASR Best Book – For a book or story that is truly exceptional. You think about it when you’re not reading it. You wonder what happens to the characters when you finish. You would absolutely buy everything else this author had to offer. The highest praise – and reserved for only a few.

Review Heat Level Descriptions

SWEET: no visual love scenes and no descriptive kissing;

SENSUAL: Contains a high degree of sexual tension, steamy kisses and passionate clinches, but all fully consummated love scenes will be implied, not described, and with the bedroom door firmly closed.

SPICY: Contains actual love scenes and may include detailed descriptions of foreplay and consummation.

HOT: Contains sizzling and very detailed love scenes throughout and graphic, explicit content which may be offensive to some.

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FTC Disclaimer:

Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. On occasion, we review books we have purchased with our own money or borrowed from a public library. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.